BRAMA, January 31, 2003, 1:00 pm ET
Canadian Concentration Camp Survivor Passes Away
Stephanie Pawliw, known at birth as Stefka Mileniczuk, was only 15 months old when she was incarcerated as an "enemy alien" along with her parents, Ignace and Mary, in the Spirit Lake concentration camp during Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920. She died peacefully on 28 January 2003 at the age of 88 in Cowansville, Quebec. Born in Montreal, 19 February 1914, she was the wife of Simeon Pawliw, whom she married on 5 December 1938. She is survived by their children, Olga, Mary, Anna, Wladyslaw and Peter and seven grandchildren.
Mrs Pawliw worked with the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association, participating in the unveiling of the first trilingual
plaque recalling this episode in Canadian history, placed at Fort Henry, near Kingston, Ontario, 4 August 1994.
Commenting on her passing, Dr Lubomyr Luciuk, UCCLA's director of research, said: " Mrs Pawliw was a proud Ukrainian
Canadian, a innocent child when she was unjustly imprisoned, yet someone who continued to maintain an interest in her
heritage and in what happened to her parents and thousands of Ukrainians and other Europeans during Canada's first national
internment operations. She was proud to take part in the first plaque unveiling at Kingston's Fort Henry, knowing that was the
site of Canada's first permanent internment camp. Later her health did not allow her to take part in installation ceremonies
elsewhere, including the one held at Spirit Lake, near Amos, Quebec. Nevertheless, she maintained a keen interest in how we
were working to hallow the memory of the victims of these internment operations and she always encouraged us to continue
with our efforts. We deeply regret that she did not live to see a reconciliation settlement reached with the federal government,
particularly since one now seems likely. Most certainly we will remember her and all those others who were needlessly interned
on the day when the recognition we have called for is finally secured, for our efforts have always been motivated by the
determination to never forget what children like Stefa, and people like her parents, Mary and Ignace, needlessly suffered."
For more information please contact: Dr Lubomyr Luciuk, UCCLA, Director of Research, (613) 546-8364
or visit our website (www.uccla.ca) .
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